As a multiethnic kid, Keon Wesley has always had to straddle two worlds. He just never expected that metaphor to become a literal reality.
Ever since his dad left five weeks ago, he's struggled to adjust to life in a single parent household. When a...
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Kai, Dawit and Keon half dragged themselves through the streets like some inebriated, three-legged animal. Every corner they turned was vastly overpopulated. Escaping the crowds was proving to be impossible. They were still offering Keon food to boot, as if they were drawn to him or knew something he didn't. No one seemed to bother the other two, though they were doubtless intrigued by the spectacle.
"Guys...'m so sorry..." Dawit mumbled.
"What are you sorry for, bro? You're the one who's sick," scoffed Keon.
"This was my first...mission as field leader..." he gulped, slowly shaking his head, "I blew it."
"Yeah, well, we're not done yet," said Kai.
Finally! An empty alley.
They took the opportunity to slump against the wall and catch their breath.
"So, I've been meaning to ask..." said Keon.
"Do you have to?"
"Why blue?"
Kai huffed and shook his head.
"Red is, like, the universal colour for 'danger.' We're trying not to draw attention."
"You mean dragging your half-conscious friend through the streets doesn't draw attention?"
Kai cracked a smile, which was more than he had done for the last few minutes.
Keon stared at him, pressing for more.
"Back there—you said Dawit would attract something worse. What did you mean?"
"Forget I said anything."
"Kai..."
Dawit tugged on the hood of Kai's shawl.
"Tell him, man," he rasped.
Kai blew a protracted exhale from his nose, burying his chin in his chest.
"Alright..." he sighed, shuffling in the dust. "In Underland, the strongest negative thoughts and feelings are personified. Singular beings who can appear anywhere those thoughts get out of hand. We call them Mentals."
Keon scanned him, understanding dawning.
"That's what happened to you before."
Kai gave a barely perceptible nod.
"When I first came here—to Underland—they said it would change my life. I figured they meant, 'make it easier.' What they failed to mention was that every step of the way would be a fight. Every single day, everywhere we went. So, by the time we got here, I'd started to have doubts."
"So what? Everyone has doubts."
Kai shook his head.
"Mine were bad. They made me reckless. Resentful. A few minutes in the walls and I started to get sick, like this idiot," he said, gesturing towards Dawit. "That's when he showed up. Freakishly tall. Silver hair. Eyes like a dead fish."
